You and I Are Too Old Not to Remind People We Love Them
Too Old for This Sh*t: How to Take Your Life Back from an Ageist Society
I need to take a brief break and here’s why
Three nights ago someone close to me lost a friend to murder.
Unless and until this happens to you, your family, someone you love, it’s hard to express how different death is when life is stolen.
I won’t even try to express how deeply this affects the Black, Brown, Asian, Indigenous communities. For them, the specter of being snuffed out at any moment is real because hate is pervasive, and so are guns.
Out of respect for the season, which can be grim for too many, I will leave my political leanings out of this post.
But I will offer this: My friend had taken the time to write her buddy a loving letter some time back telling him how wonderful he was.
There’s that.
So if I may: too many of us wait to express our heartfelt platitudes to people who are getting planted. Those are for the still-living.
This wonderful man knew he was loved by many before his life was taken.
One of our worst regrets is having not said what so desperately needs to be said, that which changes, uplifts, and graces us all: that someone is loved, cherished, respected, valued.
You and I are Too Old to withhold expressions of love from those we care about.
If you are safe this season, please give thanks. Too many are not, from the frozen, wet homeless to those whose homes offer no protection whatsoever from the very people paid to protect them.
Be glad that such worries don’t tend to visit you.
And even those for whom those worries don’t visit, violence lurks. Santa delivered ammo to many.
I will stop there.
Please tell those who matter to you that you love them. Do it regularly. Do it now.
I will be ready to play again shortly but right now, I am going to let those I love know it. I hope you do too.
Because in hell’s half-second, everything can change.
Sunday morning post script: More than 180 souls showed up for a candlelight vigil outside the store where this man was murdered. His college sophomore son spoke, which must have taken great courage. Those people came out in the bitter Colorado cold and stood for this good man. We might all be so honored for a life well-lived.
Thank you for spending a few moments with me today. I hope this lands where intended, right square in the heart, and you are motivated to express love where it will flourish. If this served you please consider:
If someone you know can use this message, kindly also consider